Theodoeb mosheb



(No Model.)

T; MOSHER. OAR COUPLING.

Patented Oct. 3, 1882 UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrca THEODORE MOSHER, OFALBANY, NEW YORK.

' CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 265,533, dated October3, 1882,

A Application filed April 1, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THEODORE MosHER, acitizen of the United States of America, residing at Albany, in thecounty of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Oar-Couplers; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being bad to the accom panyingdrawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, whichform a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of carcouplers which are adapted toautomatically couple the cars to each other; and it consists in certainfeatures hereinafter described, and specifically set forth in theclaims.

Figure l is a perspective of my improved couplerapplied to a car. Fig. 2is a longitudinal vertical section thereof. Fig. 3 is a transversesection on the line 00 an, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a likesection on the line y3 Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective.

Like letters refer to like parts in all the figures.

A represents the draw-bar, which is octagonal in cross-section at itsbody portion a, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, and is supported in straps BB, which conform to the shape of the body at their lower portions, andare separated at their upper portions more than the greatest diameter ofthe draw-bar body, and are suitably attached to the framework of the caror platform in the usual manner. The rear end, a, of the draw-bar iscylindrical and screwthreaded, and passes through a cross-beam, G, andis provided with a nut, 61*, and between the body a and beam 0 a-coiledspring, a is located about the draw-bar, to serve the usual purposes ofa buffer. Above the octagonal body a of the draw-bar, and attached tothe frame-work of the car, or it may be to any suitable fixed portion ofthe structure, is a spring, D, having a projection or pin, (1, near itsfree end, which is adapted to enter a groove, a, in the body of thedraw-bar. Similar grooves, a a, are formed in the sides of the body, andall the grooves are longitudinally disposed and extend in length atrifle more than the distance through which the draw-bar is moved in theact of coupling or when drawing its load. The head a of the draw-bar isof the usual exterior shape, with the exception that the lower side ofthe link-pocket is removed and a springseated pivotally-supported linkguiding and supporting dog, E, is substituted for the portion removed.The dog E is secured to the spring F by a pivot, c, and is weighted orheavier at its outer-end, 0, than at its inner end, 6 and grooved at itsupper surface, asshown. The spring F is secured to the under side of thedraw-bar by a screw or screws,f, and is provided with lugs f, throughwhich the pivot 0 passes.

The coupling-pin G passes through the head laterally, as shown, and toit is pivotally attached a rod, g, encircled by a coiled spring, 9,adapted to bear against the head of the coupling-pin and the cap of atubular case,

draw-bar head. head, 9

The rod 1 is provided with a A rod, H, is supported in brackets h,suitably secured to the car, and is adapted to move endwise in saidbrackets and to be retained in position when drawn out by its handle hby turning a lug, h, which passes through the key-hole sloth of theouter bracket, against the outside of said bracket. -The rod H isprovided with a bar, I, loosely pivoted thereto, and retained thereon bythe enlarged end or head h of the rod. The free end of the bar I isslotted at t, and rides upon the rod 9, and is retained thereon by thehead 1 A lever, J, is attached to the end of the car or platform by apivot, j, and is held in position at either end of the movement of itsupper end by a strap, K, provided with catches or notches It It. Thelower end of the lever J is adapted to operate the rod H outwardly only,and, if desired, to retain it in said outwardlyoperated conditionwithout the use of the lug h, as above described.

If desired, the dog E may be rigidly attached to the free end of thespring F, and in this case the dog should be of sufficient thicknessvertically to partly or wholly cover the pin-hole in the draw-bar headwhen the link and pin are withdrawn; and the spring F may be of anysuitable shape or contour to perform the desired functions.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

jumping the track.

The link being withdrawn, (this element being I supposed to be providedin the draw-bar of the advancing car,) the dog assumes the positionindicated by dotted lines, Fig. 2, its weighted outer end beingdepressed and its inner end closing or partly covering the pin-hole, sothat the pin is held thereby in a withdrawn position, which it has beencaused to assume by drawing out the rod H by its handle it or by thelever J. The advancing link strikes the lower end of the dog, rides inthe groove therein, then presses against the upper end of the dog andforces it beyond the pin-hole. The spring 9 now forces the pin inwardlyagainst the side of the link end, and when this is passed it is forcedthrough the link and into the pin-hole at the opposite side of thedrawhead. The concussion of the cars forces the draw-bar backward, andthe rod g, connected to the coupling-pin, rides in the slot 6 of the barI, and this bar swings downward and back, its pivotal attachment to therod H permitting this movement, and the pin (1 of the spring D rides inthe groove a" of the body of the draw-bar, as will. readily be seen bythe construction described. It is now supposed that the advancing car isprovided with a coupler ofadiiferentpattern from that show 11-- oneinwhich the pin is entered vertically and the link lies flat orin ahorizontal plane. The free end of spring D is raised to free its pinfrom the groove 61*, and the draw-bar is lifted and turned until eitherof the slots a or a is under the spring. The lever I in this case isdisconnected from the rod g, and the drawhead is adapted to receive alink when pre sented in the supposed position.

It will be observed that the construction herein shown permits thewithdrawal of the pin and setting the coupler for operation, andsubsequently returning the rod or the lever by which it is set withoutunsetting the coupler; that the spring-seated dog when set enlarges theopening into the draw-bar, so that cou r lcrs of varying heights willdirect the link into the bar, and when unset will adjustably retainthelink against the upper side of the pocket, and thus obviate unnecessaryrattling of the link, and in a measure prevent the cars This element,(the dog,)

it rigidly attached to the spring, would serve these latter functions,but would not to such a degree enlarge the mouth or guide the link aswhen 'iivotallyattaehed, as described. The straps B B aid the spring Din preventing the draw-bar from turning from a desired position.

If desired, the body of the draw-bar may be many-sided or polygonal incrosssectiou, and other than octagonal, it being necessary only that thebottom of its supporting-straps shall conform thereto.

Having described my invention and its operation, what I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A draw-bar provided with a springseated, pivoted, and weighted dog,substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of the draw-bar A, having the polygonal body a,grooved at a. a a, with the spring 1), having the pin (1, substantiallyas shown and described.

3. The combination of the draw-bar A, having the polygonal body a,grooved as shown, with the spring D, having pin (1, and the straps B B,conformed thereto, substantially as shown and described.

4. Thecombination ofthe head a and dog E, weighted at its outer end,with the spring F, adapted to pivotally support the dog, substantiallyas shown and described.

5. The combination of the head a", dog E. spring F, pin G, rod g,pivotally attached to the pin, spring 9, case and means, substantiallyas shown and described, for withdrawing the rod 9, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

6. The combination of the rod 11 and bar I, loosely pivoted thereon, andslotted at 17, with the rod g, spring 9, and pin G.

7. The combination of the rod H, having lug h, brackets h it, one ofwhich is provided with the key-hole slot k and the bar I, pivotallyattached to the rod, substantially as shown and described.

8. The combination of the rod H, pivotallyattached bar I, and detachedlever J, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THEO. MOS HER.

Witnesses:

E. B. STOCKING, G. A. JOHNSON.

